1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an improved punch for producing decorative cutouts, and more particularly a paper punch which cuts clearly and smoothly multiple peripheries of a desired decorative cutout.
2. Description of Related Art
Paper punches are used to produce cutouts with attractive shapes which can be used on special occasions, such as confetti at weddings. Simple shapes with only an outer periphery have become commonplace and lost their novelty to consumers, so more intricate shapes with multiple peripheries are produced by advanced paper punches. Such punches include a female die, and a male cutter with at least two continuous blades formed along a single plane. However, when the punch is operated it is found that after the paper has been cut by a lower one of the blades, the paper is not properly held in place and becomes crinkled and damaged as the second blade penetrates it. Accordingly, the resulting cutout does not have a satisfactory appearance and lacks commercial viability. Furthermore, it is found that the paper cutouts are not satisfactorily ejected every time from the punch which then becomes clogged, leading to frustration and time lost.
Thus there is a long and unfulfilled need for an improved punch which can produce intricate paper cutouts with clearly cut peripheries, and which are ejected efficiently from the punch after completion of the cutting operation.
The main objective of the invention is to provide an improved punch which produces intricate cutouts with clearly cut peripheries. A further objective is to provide an improved punch from which cutouts are ejected efficiently after completion of every punching operation. The punch includes a female die defining an intricate profile, and a male cutter mated with the female die to produce a paper cutout with multiple peripheries. A resilient ejector mounted in the punch is compressed by the downward moving male cutter and resistance of the paper until the perforation process is complete, whereafter the ejector resumes its non-compressed state and ejects the cutout from the punch.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.